Torch questions national

[Wendyki]

Hi There I found a national 6b with a htc1 torch tip will this be an improvement over my minor for boro work? I can afford a big torch but found a good deal on one of these used. All I do is boro it is a premix will it work for boro color? Thanks ahead of time

[firefreak]

The torch / tip combo you list will melt boro just fine.
It will be hotter. But it will also boil your color a lot faster. Pre-mix is a little more touchy about flame atmosphere than surface mix. Until you learn the sweet spot, be careful with crayon colors and pastels.

I worked with a premix torch for the first year. National 8M with HTC3 tip. Moved up to a Red-Max a couple of years ago. I like the surface mix better!

I still use the pre-mix for shows, but the Max fits the pieces I make while being gentle on the colors. It is also a lot easier to work Dicro with a surface mix.

[ShepherdCreations]

Steve Selchow, awesome glass artist that I know does boro, says that using a premix can actually yield better colors from the Amber Purple family, so go for the gusto!

[kbinkster]

I agree with Bryan. You can work colors on a pre-mix, but it takes some skill and even then, your colors won't be as bright as on a surface mix.